Signaling mechanism



Nov. 15, 1938. w. J. D. HARJES 2,136,794

S IGNALING MECHANI SM Filed March 11, 1957 Harjes Patented Nov. 15, 1938 PATENT OFFICE SIGNALING MECHANISM William John Dick Harjes, Woodside, Long Island, N. Y.

Application March 11,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the class of signaling, and pertains particularly to an improved electric signaling mechanism.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved novel signaling mechanism designed primarily for use in association with structures such as public garages or the like where motor vehicles must pass thru a normally guarded or closed entrance-way or enter a carrier, by means of which the advance of the vehicle to a certain position relative to the closure or the carrier will result in the operation of the mechanism to set off a signal for the, purpose of calling an attendant or set off mechanism for performing some other function, such as the automatic opening of the closure or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for accomplishing the above described results, which is completely automatic in being initially operated and in resetting itself for a subsequent operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a mechanism of the above described character a novel circuit controlling switch mechanism by means of which a signal circuit can only be kept operating for a predetermined period of time regardless of whether the vehicle remains in the initial signaling position or not.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of the mechanism embodying the present invention, showing the association of the electrical and mechanical elements thereof.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the electric circuit controlling switches showing the same in. one of the several positions which they assume in the operation of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a view in section of a dash-pot piston forming a part of a unit.

Referring now more particularly to the draw ing, the numeral I designates an enclosed area which may represent a housing for the main operating units of the device which may be disposed in 5 any convenient location within the building in 1937, Serial No. 130,365

association with which the structure is to be used. This housing has disposed therein a master cylinder 2 in which is a piston 3 carrying an upwardly directed rod .4 which extends through the top end of the cylinder, in the manner illustrated. 5

The numerals 5 and 6 indicate respectively primary and secondary switches of the mercury type. The switch 5 consists of a bar or platform 'I mounted upon a supporting pivot 8 which is disposed intermediate its ends in the manner illustrated, and this platform is so disposed relative to the piston rod 4 as to have one end located over the upwardly directed end of the rod so that when the latter is moved upwardly the platform will be struck and rocked.

Secured upon the platform- I is a carrier or bracket 9 to which is attached a mercury switch ID of conventional type. Such switch has two terminals II and I2 secured in and extending from one end so that when the tube forming the body of the switch is rocked in the proper direction the mercury therein will form a contact between the terminals to close a circuit.

The secondary switch 6 consists of a platform I3 which is oscillatably mounted at one end, as indicated at I4, so that the other end overlies the end of the platform I which is remote from the piston rod 4. These. adjacent and overlapping ends of the platforms 1 and I3 are connected by a coil spring I5, and disposed above and alined with this spring I5 is a second or upper coil spring I6, the lower end of which is secured to the free end of the platform I3 while the upper end is secured to a fixed part of the mechanism housing. The two springs thus function to constantly pull up upon the overlapping ends of the two platforms and the lower spring I5 maintains the said ends normally in a predetermined spaced relation.

Mounted upon the platform I3 is a bracket ["1 which supports the secondary switch I8 which is also of the mercury type and which has the two terminals I9 and 20, one of which is electrically connected by the wire 2I with a terminal of the switch Ill. The other terminal of the secondary switch I8 is connected by the wire 22 with one side of a signal element 23, the other side of which is connected by the conductor 24 with one side of a source of electric potential 25. The other side of this source of potential is connected by the 50 conductor 26 with the other one of the terminals of the primary switch ID.

The tubes of the primary and secondary switches I0 and I8 are mounted to extend longitudinally of the platforms on which they are carried so that the remote ends of the tubes will be lower than the adjacent ends and the terminals of the primary switch are secured in the end of the tube which is normally raised while those of the secondary switch are secured in the end of the tube which is normally lowered. Thus the primary switch normally has the terminals electrically disconnected while the secondary switch normally has its terminals electrically connected.

Disposed beneath the platform 13 of the primary switch unit 6 is a dash-pot cylinder 21 in which is positioned the piston 28 which is connected by the upwardly extending rod 29 which has pivotal attachment to the underside of the platform i3 between the pivot end and the free end thereof. This piston consists of a fixed plate portion 30, to the under side of which is attached a cup washer 3i, and formed through .the plate 30 and the cup washer is a bleed opening 32 and two control passages 33 which are normally covered at their lower ends by the Valve plate 34 which is held in position by the spring 35. The cylinder 2'! is filled with some suitable fluid such as oil, and the piston 28 when forced downwardly will have its movement retarded due to the smallness of the bleed opening 32 and the fact that the passages 33 will be closed by the plate 34, but upon return movement may move faster due to the fact that the openings 33 will be uncovered through the pressure effect of the oil which is forced against the upper side of the valve plate 34. The specific action of this retarding cylinder will be hereinafter more clearly set forth.

The numeral 36 generally designates a ground or pavement unit which is controlled or actuated by a motor vehicle. When the signal mechanism is used in association with a structure such as a public garage, this ground unit 35 may be disposed in the drive-way leading to the garage entrance and its disposition may be such that a vehicle approaching the entrance can pass over or stop with a wheel resting upon the top of the unit. This vehicle control unit preferably consists of a receptacle 3'! having the upstanding side walls 38 and the lateral surrounding top flange 39. Vertically movable within the receptacle 3'! is a plate 40 which constitutes a platform having the downwardly directed sur rounding flange H which is of an over-all diameter to snugly fit within the receptacle 3'! and move up and down therein in the end of a piston. Beneath this platform and within the receptacle is a compressible fluid containing unit 42 which may be in the form of an endless tubular body of rubber reinforced against collapse by suitable metallic reinforcements such for example as springs or the like, and this compressible unit has an outlet tube 43 which communicates with the pipe line 44. In order to prevent the entrance of dirt or moisture into the receptacle 3'5 the same has secured over the top thereof the elastic covering 45 which is joined with the flange 39 in any suitable manner and completely covers the valve 40.

The pipe line 44 leads to the lower end of the master cylinder 2 and has in circuit therein a fluid operated electric switch, indicated by the numeral 45, and a bypass valve 4'! which is disposed between the switch 46 and the master cylinder and opens only toward the switch. shunting or bypassing the one-way valve 41 is a pipe 43 in which is an adjustable bleed valve 49.

The switch 46 may be of any suitable construction but for the purpose of showing an operative unit, it is here illustrated as having within the casing 50 an oscillatable flap or plate 5| which may be insulated from the casing and which carries a metallic switch arm 52 which, when the flap 5| is rocked by the passage of fluid through the casing 50 in the direction of the master cylinder, will be moved into a position to bridge and electrically connect two switch terminals 53 which are in the electric circuit 54 which also includes a signal lamp 55 and the source of electric potential 25.

In the operation of the present mechanism it is to be understood that while the unit 23 is here illustrated as being an electric bell, any other suitable electrical signal may be made use of, and when the device is used in association with a garage as previously stated and the vehicle actuated unit 36 is in a position to have a motor vehicle wheel pass thereover, an approaching vehicle, wishing to enter the garage, is so controlled as to cause a wheel thereof to pass over or onto the unit 36. When the wheel is passed onto the platform of this unit, the driver of the vehicle will be apprised of this fact by the illumination of the signal light 55 which should be placed in a situation where it can be easily seen. The light will be illuminated through the action of the fluid being forced from the compressible body 42 through the pipe 44 against the flap 51 of the fluid operated valve, thus raising the switch arm 52 to close the circuit 54. As soon as the light 55 is energized, the vehicle is stopped so that the full weight of the wheel on the platform 40 may be exerted against the body 42 and thus continue to force the fluid into the master cylinder by way of the bypass pipe 48. The piston 3 of the master cylinder will thus be raised and will effect the tipping of the normally lower outer end of the platform 1 so as to cause the mercury of switch to flow down and bridge the terminals HI2. As the terminals of the switch I8 are electrically connected this will result in the energization of. the circuit in which the electric unit 23 is located and the operation of this electric unit will continue until the normally raised end of the platform l3 swings down to the point where the mercury in the switch 18 disconnects the contacts of this switch. This downward swinging movement is effected through the stretching of the spring l which imparts a pull to the free end of the platform l3, but the rocking of, the platform is made slow by the combined effects of the spring I6 and the dash-pot unit 21. It will thus be seen that the electric unit 23 will be operated for only a predetermined period of time even though the vehicle be left standing upon the platform 40. After the vehicle has been moved off of the platform the fluid will flow back through the pipe 44, mainly by way of. the one-way valve 41, and this flow will be helped or influenced by the combined contractile effect of the two springs I5 and I6 which will operate to again raise the overlapping ends of the switch platforms. As previously stated, the dash-pot piston may be returned more rapidly to its initial position than it advanced to its position in the lower part of the dash-pot cylinder by reason of the valve unit which is shown in detail in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the mechanism herein described may be used in a variety of situations whereby the operation of an electrical unit at a point remote from a motor vehicle may be readily accomplished, and

it will be apparent that such mechanism will be particularly desirable for use in association with public garages or other places of business where motor vehicles must pass through an entrance-way which has to be attended by an employee or which has to be kept closed so that no time will be lost by the driver of the vehicle having to leave the same to call an attendant or to open the closure structure.

It is known that there are other devices operated by motor vehicles for giving signals or effecting the operation of some type of electrical mechanisms when the vehicle approaches an entranceway, but in all of such mechanisms, the operation is substantially instantaneous, whereas in the present invention the operation is slightly delayed so that the vehicle operator will have reasonable time within which to stop the vehicle upon the movable platform. Also, as previously pointed out, there is a period of operation of the signaling mechanism, after the vehicle wheel has come to rest upon the platform, which is automatic in that it will shut itself off after a predetermined period even though the vehicle may remain upon the platform.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric circuit controlling mechanism, comprising a fluid pressure operated element, a pair of mercury switches adapted to be coupled in series relation in a circuit, a pivotal support for each switch, said supports being relatively arranged whereby one switch will be in circuit closing position while the other is in circuit open position, said fluid pressure operated means being disposed relative to the support for the switch which is normally in circuit open position whereby actuation of said means will rock the support and the switch to circuit closed position, and means coupling said pivoted supports whereby the support engaged by the fluid pressure oper ated means will effect the movement of the adjacent support to move the latter to circuit open position.

2. An electric circuit controlling means, comprising a pair of pivotally mounted supports having adjacent portions in overlapped relation, resilient means coupling said overlapped portions of the supports, resilient means normally exerting an upward tension upon the upper one of said overlapped portions of the supports, the said resilient means acting to normally maintain the overlapped portions of the supports in raised position, a mercury switch mounted upon each of said supports and arranged whereby when placed in series relation in said circuit one thereof will be in circuit closed position and the other will be in circut opened positon, and fluid pressure oper ated means arranged for engagement with the support for the last named one of-said switches whereby upon actuation the said support will be rocked in a direction to exert a downward pull upon the resilient means connecting the supports.

3. An electric circuit controlling means, comprising a pair of pivotally mounted supports having adjacent portions in overlapped relation, re silient means coupling said overlapped portions of the supports, resilient means normally exerting an upward tension upon the upper one of said overlapped portions of the supports, the said resilient means acting to normally maintain the overlapped portions of the supports in raised position, a mercury switch mounted upon each of said supports and arranged whereby when placed in series relation in said circuit one thereof will be in circuit closed position and the other will be in circuit openedpositiomfiuid pressure operated means arranged for'engagement with the support for the last named one of said switches whereby upon actuation the said support will be rocked on its pivot in a direction to exert a downward pull upon the resilient means connecting the supports, and means associated with the other support for retarding the downward rocking of the same under the influence of the movement of the first support and the fluid actuating means.

4. An electric circuit controlling mechanism, comprising a support pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for rocking movement, a mercury switch mounted upon said support, a second support pivotally mounted adjacent one end and having its other end disposed over an end of the first support and spaced therefrom, a mercury switch mounted upon said second support, a contractile spring coupling the spaced ends of said supports, a contractile spring coupling the said other end of the second mentioned support with an overlying fixed member whereby the said ends of the supports are constantly urged upwardly by the springs, said mercury switches being arranged upon the supports for series connection in an electric circuit whereby the switch of the first support will be normally maintained in circuit open position and the switch of the second support will be normally maintained in circuit closed position, fluid pressure operated means arranged relative to the first mentioned support whereby upon actuation it will eifect the rocking of the first mentioned support to exert downward pull upon the first mentioned spring, and a dashpot connected with the second mentioned support to retard the downward swinging of the same under the influence of the first support when the latter is rocked.

5. An electric circuit controlling mechanism, comprising a pair of mercury switches coupled in series relation in a circuit, a pivoted support for each switch, said supports being relatively so arranged that the switch of one will be in circuitolosing position while the other switch is in circuit-open position, means coupling said pivoted switch carrying supports which is so constructed and arranged that the rocking in one direction of the support for the switch is normally in circuit-open position will effect the rocking of the other support to change the other switch from normal circuit-closing to circuit open position, means for retarding the rocking of the said other switch whereby both switches will momentarily be in circuit closing position, and remote control means for rocking the support for the switch which is normally in circuit open position.

6. An electric circuit controlling mechanism, comprising a pair of mercury switches adapted to be coupled in series relation in a circuit, a pivoted support for each switch, said supports being relatively so arranged that the switch of one will be in circuit-closing position while the other switch is in circuit-open position, means coupling said pivoted switch carrying supports which is so constructed and arranged that the rocking in one direction of the support for the switch which is normally in circuit-open position will efiect the rocking of the other support to change the other switch from. normal circuit-closing to circuitopen position, and remote control means for rocking the support for the switch which is normally in circuit-open position, said coupling means being further so constructed that the rate of pivotal movement of the said other support will be materially slower than that of the first-moved support.

7. An electric circuit controlling mechanism comprising two movable electric circuit controlling elements each being shiftable to a circuit-open and circuit-closed position, said elements being normally electrically coupled together in series relation in the circuit with one element in circuit-open position and the other in circuit-closed position, means for moving the said one element from. the said normal position therefor to circuitclosed position, and means coupling the said elements which is so constructed and arranged that when the said one element is moved to circuitclosed position the said other element will be moved at a slower rate of speed than the said one element, to its circuit-open position.

WILLIAM JOHN DICK HARJES. 

